How Is Clytemnestra Justified In Agamemnon
analytical Essay
634 words
In Aeschylus’ The Agamemnon, Agamemnon and Clytemnestra have to make tough decisions throughout the play, decisions they believe are justified. The actions of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra are not justified because they are caused by their blinding hubris and desire for power. Agamemnon makes the choice to kill his daughter just so he could lead his troops to Troy. Clytemnestra kills her husband, not just for revenge, but for his position and power as king of Mycenae. They make selfish choices and do not believe they will be punished for them. By exposing their true motives, Aeschylus makes it clear they are not justified in their actions. Agamemnon kills his daughter, Iphigenia, for power and respect. This power is more important to him than his daughter, thus he sacrifices Iphigenia instead of stepping back and letting someone else lead the armies to battle. The Chorus emphasizes this when they recall his words before he sacrifices Iphigenia “However he did not shrink from slaying a victim daughter in aid of war raged” (Aeschylus 20). He is more worried about losing respect than his own daughter. His lust after power and respect made him insensitive to fair judgement. He tries to justify himself by saying there is no other way but to sacrifice her. He does anything to fulfill the public’s desires to gain him their praise, up to and …show more content…
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the actions of agamemnon and clytemnestra are not justified because they are caused by their blinding hubris and desire for power.
- Analyzes how agamemnon kills his daughter, iphigenia, for power and respect, instead of stepping back and letting someone else lead the armies to battle.
- Analyzes how clytemnestra's desire for power is hidden by her claims of justification. she challenges anyone to take her power.
- Analyzes how aeschylus shows disapproval for both of their choices through the chorus and cassandra. he believes that agamemnon is not justified for sacrificing iphigenia.
- Explains that agamemnon and clytemnestra kill their family for power over people. their hubristic natures lead to their demises.
After Agamemnon’s death, Aegisthus is next in line to become king and Clytemnestra is his queen. Her desire for power is hidden by her claims of justification. She challenges anyone to take her power. “[H]e who conquers me in fair fight shall rule me” (45). She threatens the Chorus to a fight for power. She knows she has all the power now the king was dead and she is his queen. Clytemnestra is aware she killed him for his power, but her arrogance makes her put the deed on the curse of the House of Atreus and vengeance for
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- Agamemnonanalytical essayIn Aeschylus’ Agamemnon there are many different opinions about what kind of king and commander Agamemnon was. Some argued that he was good, while others dispute that his motives were wrong. Clytemnestra, Agamemnon’s wife, gained a strong hatred for him, after he sacrificed his own daughter so he could go to war. Many believe that this was not necessary and could have been overcome. The chorus seems to agree with this to an extent, and feels that Agamemnon could have prayed and requested that he not sacrifice his daughter.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how aeschylus' agamemnon has many opinions about what kind of king and commander he was. clytemnestra gained a strong hatred for him after sacrificing his own daughter to go to war.
- Explains how clytemnestra, after agamemnon was at war for a few years, began to cheat on him with his cousin, aegisthus. they plotted against him and prayed to the gods to let him make it home.
- Analyzes how clytemnestra set agamemnon up by placing a purple carpet on the ground for him to walk on.
- Analyzes how clytemnestra knew that agamemnon was a weak person and could easily be provoked into doing wrong. the chorus, made up of older, more respected men in argos, didn't know him as well.
- Analyzes how agamemnon was self-centered, but he was respectable to other warriors. he was the commander of the greek armies while at troy.
- Analyzes how agamemnon was smart enough to question his moves and weigh out the consequences of all possible outcomes. aeschylus thought he was self-centered and should not have committed hubris.
736 wordsRead More - The Oresteia by Aeschylus: Guilty or Innocentanalytical essayWhen a person is accused of a crime they are either found innocent or guilty. This is the basic idea of justice and it is what many feel needs to happen if someone has done something controversial. In the play The Oresteia by Aeschylus, the story of Clytemnestra guilt or innocents is questioned. She does many things that people are not too happy with and those controversial actions throughout the story, mainly in the first part Agamemnon get her into the trouble. As we explore the case that builds against her innocents by exploring the killings of Agamemnon and Cassandra and the boastful expression about the killings.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how clytemnestra's innocence is questioned in the play the oresteia by aeschylus.
- Analyzes how clytemnestra sees the killing of her daughter as just being killed for her husband's gain and feels that he could have chosen a different virgin to sacrifice.
- Analyzes how agamemnon sacrifices his daughter, iphigenia, to get the wind needed to go to battle.
- Analyzes how clytemnestra has the ten years of the trojan war to plan her revenge on agamemnon.
- Explains that agamemnon's killing of iphigenia was for a sacrifice that the gods asked for, but it wasn't the kind of murder that clytemnestra committed.
- Explains that clytemnestra could use the idea of blood vengeance, stating that agamemnon and orestes were married. marriage bonds are not nearly as strong as blood bonds.
- Argues that clytemnestra's killing of cassandra was not exactly in her original plan. she was blinded by rage and hatred.
- Analyzes how clytemnestra spent ten years thinking about killing agamemnon. she then discusses the thought of killing her husband with the chorus.
- Analyzes how clytemnestra displays the bodies and tells the story of how she killed the two. she is proud of what she has done and does not feel bad about it.
- Analyzes how clytemnestra was a person of great guilt. she plotted the death of her husband, committing the murder, and they discussed what she did.
1104 wordsRead More - The Contrast of Odysseus’s and Agamemnon’s Fateanalytical essayOdysseus and Agamemnon are heroes who fought side by side to take down the city of Troy during the Trojan War. In Homer’s The Odyssey, why is Agamemnon slaughtered when he arrives home while Odysseus returns to find his loved ones still waiting for him? The reasons for the heroes’ differing fates are the nature of their homecoming and the loyalty of their wives.
In this essay, the author
- Compares odysseus to agamemnon, who was skeptical and cautious when he landed on ithaca. he disguised himself as a beggar with athena to get rid of his wife's suitors.
- Analyzes how agamemnon's wife, clytemnestra, betrays her husband and leads him to his death.
- Analyzes how penelope, as a foil to clytemnestra, remains loyal to her husband after his twenty years of absence. she grieves for him repeatedly throughout the novel.
- Analyzes how agamemnon and odysseus meet different ends after their return home from troy. their outcomes are affected by the choices they make once they arrive home and the devotion their wives have for them.
- Analyzes how odysseus and agamemnon are heroes who fought side by side to take down the city of troy during the trojan war.
727 wordsRead More - Agamemnon And Clytemnestra Analysisanalytical essayHaving Agamemnon away at war for so long left Clytemnestra lonely and longing for his return as did many others who thought order had been lost since his departure. And naturally, as she is second in command when he is present, she is head honcho while he is absent. “That woman—she maneuvers like a man” (Aeschylus 13). When comparing Agamemnon and Clytemnestra together they can be on two separate scales. When seen from the outside it is obvious the Agamemnon wears the pants in the house, yet in the dialogues between the two, Agamemnon easily bows to the words of Clytemnestra which tosses up the question of who is really governing Argos. She takes things upon herself to make Agamemnon appear more of a king than he would be without her “aid.” For examp...
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the role of women in ancient greece is relatively insignificant, yet in greek tragedies such as agamemnon, oedipus the king and orestes, the women are often given the title of "main character."
- Analyzes how agamemnon and clytemnestra are on two separate scales when comparing them.
- Analyzes how cassandra, captured princess of troy, appears in many greek tragedies before agamemnon, and she consistently falls into the category of the victim character.
713 wordsRead More - The Iliadanalytical essay...hought themselves the better man and considered themselves dishonored by each other. For this, they each sought vengeance. Agamemnon uses his power to take Achilles' prize from him. Achilles decides to not only stop fighting, but also to turn against the Grecians. He would rather them lose the war than be dishonored.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the iliad tells the story of the trojan war, which lasted 10 years, but the outcome could have easily shifted due to a quarrel between king agamemnon and achilles.
- Explains achilles was the son of thetis, a sea nymph, who troy feared the most because he was called the world's greatest warrior.
- Explains the quarrel began when the grecian warriors returned from sacking thebes. each warrior was dealt shares of the loot and a woman. agamemnon ignored his pleas and sent him away.
- Narrates how achilles called all the kings and princes into assembly and asked if any of them had done anything to offend the god apollo. calchas, who knew of past, present, and future, said that king agamemnon had dishonored apollo's priest.
- Analyzes how king agamemnon angrily stated that he didn't want to give up his prize, for then they would be the only grecians without one. he would return the girl if she was replaced with another.
- Explains that achilles told agamemnon that all the prizes had been awarded, but if he returned the girl, the gods would be in their favor and they would win the war.
- Analyzes how achilles angered agamemnon by calling him a "wine bibber" and threatening to take his prize, which he had been awarded.
- Analyzes how agamemnon was furious that achilles spoke to him in this way. he told ulysses to take chrysies back to her father.
- Narrates how achilles went to the ocean and wept. his mother heard his cries and came to sit with him. he asked her to go to olympus and avenge him and let the grecians lose.
- Analyzes how achilles and agamemnon were fighting because of pride. both thought themselves the better man and considered themselves dishonored by each other.
- Analyzes how the human being can be so consumed with pride and anger he becomes dangerous. achilles was sentencing thousands of soldiers to death by asking his mother to let the trojans win the war.
644 wordsRead More - The Agamemnon of Aeschylusanalytical essayThe Agamemnon of Aeschylus Prologue: The Watchman on the roof of the Palace of Agamemnon at Mycenae presents the facts. He has been watching a year for the fire signal that will announce Troy's capture, and all is not well within the house. He sees the beacon at last and will tell Clytemnestra, Agamemnon's wife. He rejoices at the news for it means his master will be coming home. Parodos or Entry of the Choros, who are Elders of Argos, counsellors to the Queen Regent.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the watchman on the roof of the palace of agamemnon at mycenae presents the facts. he rejoices at the news for it means his master will be coming home.
- Analyzes how calchas the prophet interpreted it to mean that troy would fall but that the goddess artemis will try to prevent the destruction of troy.
- Analyzes how the choros narrate how agamemnon's expedition against troy was disastrously held up by contrary winds and calchas said that a maiden had to be sacrificed to artemis iphigeneia.
- Analyzes how clytemnestra tells the choros leader that troy is taken. they don't believe her and she details the beacon chain that brought the news to argos. she imagines sympathetically what is now going on in troy.
- Analyzes how the choros thank zeus for the victory and see its justice upon the transgression of paris and troy. they then speak of the ruin helen brought on greece.
- Analyzes how a travel-stained herald approaches with the first-hand news that the greeks have taken troy and destroyed the temples of the gods there. the choros welcome the herald and indicate that all has not been well at home.
- Analyzes how clytemnestra tells the choros that she has been faithful to her husband. the herald expresses surprise at her attitude. menelaus' ship disappeared in a great storm.
- Analyzes how the choros conclude that justice is not to be found in palaces but will direct all to the appointed end.
- Analyzes how agamemnon enters in his chariot; behind him is the enslaved princess of troy, cassandra. the visual effect of this dominates the entire scene.
- Analyzes how the choros greet agamemnon and hint that not everyone will be sincerely glad to see him. they opposed his war policy ten years before and did not like his superstitious sacrifice of iphigeneia at aulis.
- Analyzes how agamemnon greets argos and the gods but arrogantly says that he took troy -with the god's help. he then thanks the choros for their advice and will set up a commission to enquire into disloyalty at home.
- Analyzes how clytemnestra tells her husband how evil life was while he was away. her murderous intention peeps through her words in more than one place.
- Analyzes how agamemnon dislikes flattery and recognises that it would be hubristic to walk in on the cloth.
- Analyzes how clytemnestra compares him to priam and appeals to his victor's generosity changes his mind. he has his shoes removed, throws a verbal pinch of salt over his shoulder towards the gods, and tells cassandra to be nice.
- Analyzes how clytemnestra comes out to fetch cassandra so that she can kill her at the same time as agamemnon.
- Analyzes how the choros are gentle with cassandra who suddenly breaks out with a cry to apollo to great effect, disturbing them.
- Analyzes how the choros reflecting on the uncertainty of fortune and success are interrupted by the cry of agamemnon being murdered within.
- Analyzes how the palace doors open and clytemnestra stands with the two bodies of agamemnon and cassandra, a silver bath and purple robe.
- Analyzes how clytemnestra speaks exultantly of her victory and throws off all hypocrisy gladly. she struck three blows to kill agamemnon before he died cassandra needed only one blow
- Analyzes how the choros lament agamemnon passionately and blame helen, clytemnestra doesn't, and then blame the curse of atreus.
- Analyzes how aigisthus enters rejoicing, telling how his brothers died as children served up as food to their father, but he does not mention what his father had done to bring down this fate.
- Analyzes how orestes threatens the choros with repression, but has armed men with him like a tyrant. he orders his guards forward but clytemnestra stops both sides from fighting.
1519 wordsRead More - Clytemnestra In The Oresteiaanalytical essayShe fully embraces her masculinity, as she triumph over his lifeless body, and speaks exultantly of her victory "fallen thus, he gasped away his life, and as he breathed forth quick spurts of blood, he struck me with dark drops of gory dew; while I rejoiced no less than the sown earth is gladdened in heaven's refreshing rain at the birth time of the flower buds"(1389- 1402). She arrogantly concludes that her actions are just and that justice has been served in Agamemnon murder. With glee and delight she proudly announces to the chorus of Agamemnon death, "you are testing me as if I were a witless woman. But my heart does not quail, and I say to you who know it well and whether you wish to praise or to blame me, it is all one here is Agamemnon, my husband, now a corpse, the work of this right hand, a just workman” (1402-1405). However, the chorus does not agree with what the queen has done and shows their anger with her actions, "you, pathetic- the king had just returned from battle. You waited out the war and fouled his lair, you planned my great commander's fall" (1625-1627). The chorus feels that Clytemnestra has only wronged Agamemnon, rather than accomplishing justice she only perpetuates to the circle of violence that has riddled the family, “violence beget violence”. In their opinion, she is
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how aeschylus' oresteia follows the curse that has afflicted agamemnon's family for several generations serving only to create a circle of violence and retribution.
- Analyzes how the watchman, an inconsequential character, is privy to clytemnestra's rejection of her traditional role.
- Analyzes how a chorus of old men approaches clytemnestra inquiring of the story about the watches' fire. they remain aware of her true sex by constantly pointing to the fact that she is only in charge because her husband is unavailable.
- Analyzes how clytemnestra is an accomplished conspirator and a vengeful murderer. her words and actions are sneaky and disingenuous and have hidden meaning.
- Analyzes how clytemnestra performs the role of loving wife in front of the herald, and the chorus. she sends a message to agamemnon.
- Describes the messages given to their husband: let him come with all speed, his country's fond desire, come to find at home his wife faithful, even as he left her, a watchdog of his house.
- Analyzes how clytemnestra lies about her secret affair with aegisthus and wishes for agamemnon to return safely and not annoyed the gods.
- Analyzes how clytemnestra's powerful verbal exchange with agamemnon solidifies her as reign supreme.
- Analyzes how clytemnestra's masculine transformation is illustrated in the scene after she murders agamemnon.
- Analyzes how clytemnestra uses both cunning dialogue and masculine authority in order to bend the other characters in the play to her will.
1441 wordsRead More - Struggling Veteran in the Odyssey by Homeranalytical essayLike other heroes of the war, Agamemnon is a powerful king. He was able to raise men to follow him to Troy. He is referred to by the epithet “sheperd of people” (III, 156). In the underwold, Achilleus tells Agamemnon,
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the odyssey by homer is an epic about a man's return home after fighting in war. the story of agamemnon’s death upon returning home is retold and referred to numerous times.
- Analyzes how agamemnon survived the ten year long trojan war, even as other great warriors such as achilleus fell. he is recognized as a major hero of the war.
- Explains that agamemnon is a powerful king who was able to raise men to follow him to troy. achilleus tells him in the underwold.
- Analyzes how agamemnon was a skilled warrior in troy and powerful king in sparta. he had power and his loss was significant.
- Analyzes how agamemnon shows that he is honor-bound in a way that contrasts with the treachery of aigisthos. achilleus fell in battle in troy and was properly memorialized.
- Analyzes how agamemnon in hades is a sorrowful figure, and odysseus felt pity for him. his betrayal and murder stripped him of his power.
- Analyzes how agamemnon represents the suffering of the returning veteran. he served in war, ruled over a large territory, and was seen as favored by the gods.
- Analyzes how agamemnon's story is a warning to odysseus and an example to telemachos.
- Analyzes how agamemnon's death and orestes vengeance against aigisthos provide similar inspiration to telemachos. he anticipates that upon his father’s eventual return the suitors will attempt to kill him.
- Analyzes how menelaos' interactions with his wife are filled with tension and he is saddened by the men lost during war and the death of his brother.
- Analyzes how the trojan war veterans of the odyssey defeated their enemies on the battlefield. the end of combat did not mean relief from burdens for them. achilleus' death in war is treated with ceremony and respect.
960 wordsRead More - The Cycle of Vengeance in Aeschylus’s Oresteiaanalytical essayThe Agamemnon picks up with Agamemnon and Menelaus, sons to Atreus, who joined together in the war of Troy after Paris, son of Priam, seduced Helen, wife to Menelaus. Angered by his ruthless man-sacrifices in the war, Artemis required that Agamemnon take the life of his daughter Iphigeneia in order to save the army and fleet o...
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how agamemnon and menelaus, sons to atreus, sacrificed their daughter iphigeneia to save the army and fleet of ships. the libation bearers, orestes and electra avenge their father's death by killing both aegisthus and their mother.
- Analyzes finley's analysis of the scene in which orestes' assassination of his mother holds the key to the success of this trilogy.
- Concludes that the triumph of orestes marks the birth of rational thought in the oresteia.
- Describes aeschylus' "the oresteia." tran. robert fagles.
- Analyzes how the cyclic thread of vengeance runs through the three plays in aeschylus's oresteia. tantalus angered the gods by feasting them on the flesh of his own son, pelops.
- Argues that the story's beauty lies in the dirty, multifaceted nature of human motivation and experience.
- Analyzes the cycle of vengeance in these plays by examining their major plot events and characters’ motivations in a method similar to that of aristotle in poetics.
2434 wordsRead More - The Powerful Clytemnestra in Aeschylus' Oresteiaanalytical essayThe Powerful Clytemnestra in Aeschylus' Oresteia What Price Glory? was the title of a Maxwell Anderson play about World War I. Although the Oresteia deals with the period following a much different war, the same question can be asked of it. In the trilogy Aeschylus presents the reader with a stunning example of ancient Greek society, in which warrior ideals were firmly held, and glory in battle was considered the supreme good. The question of moral justification in the trilogy brings in many complex issues, but all of them revolve around the construction of Greek society and the role of different individuals in this system.
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- Analyzes how aeschylus presents the reader with a stunning example of ancient greek society, in which warrior ideals were firmly held and glory in battle was considered the supreme good.
- Explains that the greek society in which the play takes place is so foreign from our own that it is difficult to understand the actions of many characters. the sacrifice of iphigeneia by agamemnon was more understandable.
- Analyzes how agamemnon is feeling societal pressure to sacrifice iphigeneia, yet one must question whether he had any possible alternatives.
- Explains that the soldiers embarked on a dangerous journey for the dishonor shown to menelaus by the abduction of helen. agamemnon, as their leader, could have advised against this expedition.
- Analyzes how agamemnon can justify his actions based on the norms of his society. after a certain age, one has to take responsibility for their actions, regardless of what society is doing around him.
- Analyzes how clytemnestra had little control over the events going on around her, even on issues that had a direct effect on her. women were either war-captives which served as concubines, or alternatively, fulfilled the penelope ideal.
- Analyzes how clytemnestra was defiant in the way she refused to be ignored. her reasons for killing her husband could be many, including revenge for the murder of iphigeneia and for her own political ambitions.
- Opines that clytemnestra's opinions would have never mattered without a war, because she held no political power.
- Analyzes how clytemnestra committed a reprehensible act that deserved condemnation and paid for her act with her own life. agamemnon held the power to prevent the entire series of tragedies that occur in the oresteia trilogy.
- Analyzes how clytemnestra was the first to express her anger at the situation of women in ancient greece.
- Analyzes how power is the crux of this issue, and in every case when the powerless do battle with the powerful, the outcome is determined before the dispute. clytemnestra was condemned for eternity when she lifted her hand to her husband.
- Opines that clytemnestra will never gain the sympathy of her fellow citizens, yet she appears undeterred and possesses an amount of self-confidence that must have surprised the ancient greeks.
- Analyzes how agamemnon chose not to use his, but clytemnestra used hers, much to society's chagrin, to truly be what she felt she had to do.
2076 wordsRead More